This year, wheat farmers in Pakistan had high hopes for a prosperous harvest. They expected to pay off debts for fertilizers and agricultural chemicals and improve their livelihoods. Unfortunately, their situation has worsened.
The government discovered that former Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar had imported a large quantity of wheat, now stored in government warehouses. An inquiry was suggested but never followed through, leaving many questions unanswered.
When provincial Chief Ministers were asked to purchase wheat from farmers, advisors argued that middlemen had already bought the wheat at full price. The government refused to buy from middlemen to avoid benefiting them, causing a significant drop in wheat prices. Initially priced at 4,000 to 5,000 rupees per mana, wheat now sells for just 2,000 to 2,200 rupees per mana, with few buyers. Farmers are forced to sell at these low prices, often to middlemen.
Farmers face additional problems with fertilizer. They received urea fertilizer per acre on their national identity cards but had to buy more on the black market, where quality is often poor due to adulteration. The same issues apply to agricultural chemicals, further harming crop quality. Farmers lack awareness of modern organic farming methods, relying on toxic fertilizers that degrade soil health and crop quality.
International financial institutions like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) have influenced Pakistan’s wheat policy. These institutions encourage countries to buy wheat with loan money and grow cash crops like cotton and vegetables instead of staple crops like wheat and rice. If the government had informed farmers about this, they could have planted more profitable crops like red chilies and cotton, potentially improving their incomes and boosting the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
China’s “contract farming” model offers a solution. Chinese companies make agreements with farmers before planting, ensuring they will buy the crops at agreed prices. This model has been successful in India, where it generates billions in foreign exchange. However, in Pakistan, this model is underutilized. Last year, Pakistan had only 15 tons of red chilies to offer Chinese buyers, highlighting the need for better agricultural planning and support.
If the agriculture department fails to support farmers effectively, some argue it should be abolished to save on government expenses. Unlike wheat, rice import and export operate smoothly without government intervention, suggesting that freeing other crops from bureaucratic control could also be beneficial.
Despite being an agricultural country, Pakistan imports many vegetables, including tomatoes, onions, garlic, and ginger, even from India. This paradox arises from poor agricultural policies and planning. When the government decided to import wheat, were agricultural officials unaware of the bumper wheat crop forecast? If they knew, why was wheat imported, wasting billions on unnecessary imports?
The government needs to overhaul its agricultural policies. By providing better support and information to farmers and adopting successful models like contract farming, Pakistan can improve its agricultural sector, benefit farmers, and reduce unnecessary imports. The backbone of the economy, our farmers, deserve better support to ensure their hard work leads to prosperity.